Spring-reel.



P. HENDERSON.

SPRING REEL.

APPLICATION man HJNEZh 1911! Patented FM). 12, 1918.

PET 51? HENQEFSON PETER HENDERSON, 0F BURGET'ISTOWN, PENNSYLVANIA.

SPRING-REEL.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Feb. 112, 1918.

Application filed .Tune 27, 1917. Serial No. 177,292.

spring reel of the type set forth, which has simple and effective meansfor holding the cord after it has been withdrawn the desired distanceand for automatically rewinding the cord upon its drum.

A further object of my invention is to provide a device of the characterdescribed,

in which the lamp, while normally occupying a definite location, may bereadily carried from place to place within a considerablelrange withoutdisturbing its electrical connection.

Other objects of my invention are to provide a device of the typespecified which is simple in its construction and arrangement, strong,durable and efficient in its use, and inexpensive to manufacture.

To the accomplishment of these and such other objects as may hereinafterappear, the invention consists of the novel construction, combinationand arrangement of parts herein specifically described, and illustratedin the accompanying drawing wherein is shown an embodiment of theinvention.

In the drawing, forming a portion of this specification. and whereinlike numerals of reference designate corresponding parts throughout theseveral views:

Figure 1 is a cross sectional view of a spring reel in accordance withthis invention.

Fig. 2 is a cross sectional view showing the arrangement of therotatable electric connection; I

Fig. 3 is a cross sectional view of the device showing the ratchet-wheeland associated parts.

Fig. 4 is a partial rear end view illustrating attaching means formounting the spring reel.

Fig. 5 is a partial rear end view, showing a modified form of attachingmeans.

a device Fig. 6 is a side elevation of the attaching as shown in Fig. 4.

Referring more in detail to the drawing, the sheet metal casing 1comprises the two cup-shaped members 2 and 3, which are provided withthe threaded portions dand 5, respectively, adapted to be screwedtogether to form the casing 1.

The shaft 6, extends transversely through the casing 1, and is suitablyjournaled in the apertures 7 and 8 of the casing. The shoulders 9 and 10of the shaft 6, are provided to prevent lateral movement of the saidshaft, when positioned in the casing 1.

The coiled ribbon spring 11 is positioned adjacent'the inner surface 12,of the cupshaped member 2, and one end 13 thereof is attached to thecasing 1, and the other end 14 to the shaft 6.

The ratchet-wheel 15, is mounted on the shaft 6 to turn therewith, andcomprises the teeth 16, equally spaced from each other, and shaped toform the point 17 and the shoulder stop 18. The pawl 19 is pivotallymounted in the bracket 20 and is positioned so as to engage the shoulderstop 18, of the ratchet-wheel 15, to permit ratchet-wheel to turn in onedirection only until released.

The bracket 20 is secured to the casing 1 and comprises the two arms 21and 22, between whieh passes'the flat spring 23, one end 24 of which isattached to the casing 1 and the other end 25 bearing upon the pawl 19.By arranging the spring 23 in this manner it will prevent the end 25thereof from being displaced upon the pawl 1.9.

. The spring 23 is provided to permit the use of my improved device, orposition.

A washer or plate 26, having an aperture at any angle 27, for thepassage of the shaft 6, is placed intermediate the two cup-shapedmembers 2 and 3, of the casing 1, to prevent liability of entanglementof the cord 28 with the ratchet mechanism.

One end of thecord 28 passes through the aperture 31 in the casing 1 andis attached to the lamp 32 which is normally held in position by thesocket 33. The other end of the cord passes through an aperture 34 inthe drum portion 30, of the shaft 6 and is attached in, a rotatable plug35.

' The plug 35 comprises the porcelain body portion 36 and the threadedinsulating shank 37. The shank 37 is attached to the porcelain bodyportion 36 by the contact bushing 38 and is mounted in the threaded end39, of the shaft 6, to turn therewith during the withdrawing orrewinding operations of the cord 28, upon the drum portion 30, of theshaft 6.

The contact sleeve 40, adapted for the reception of an ordinary electricsocket attachment, is carried by the insulator collar telephone fortaking up the slack in the cord, or by eliminating the electricalconnecting elements, for reeling up clothes lines, etc.

The device may in any suitable and desired manner. As shown in Figs. 4and 6, of the drawings, there is provided the spring clip 46 formounting the device upon a rod. In the modification shown in'Fig. 5, thecasing is provided with the slots 47, adapted to be engaged by nails orscrews on a wall.

In practice, the operation of my improved reel is as follows: Assumingthat the cord 28 is wound upon the drum portion 30, of the shaft 6, thecord is withdrawn, through the aperture 31 in the casing 1, any desireddistance, and causes the shaft 6 and the ratchet-wheel 15, mountedthereon, to rotate in the direction indicated by the arrow in Fig. 3. Bygently releasing the pull on the cord, the spring 23 will force the pawl19 into engagement with the shoulder stop 18 of the ratchet-wheel 16,and prevent the turning of the shaft and associated parts in a reversedirection.

When it is desired to rewind the cord within the casing, the cord 28 ispulled slightly forward, causing the point 17 of the ratchet teeth 16,to disengage the pawl 19 from the shoulder stop 18. By suddenlyreleasing the pull upon the cord, the spring 11,

having been wound by the withdrawing operation, will rotate the, shaftin thereverse direction, and the speed of the return movement will notpermit the pawl 19 to engage the shoulder stop 18, but will slide overthe sloped portion 48 of the teeth 16. The

be mounted or positioned counterweight 49, of the pawl 19, is providedto regulate the action of the pawl movement, by promoting or impedingthe said movement, according to the position of the pawl when the deviceis mounted to a From the foregoing description, taken in connection withthe accompanying drawing, the advantages of the construction and themethod of operation will be readily apparent to those skilled in the artto which the in-. vention appertains, and while describing the principleof operation of the invention together with the device which is nowconsidered to be the best embodiment thereof, it is to be understoodthat the device shown is merely illustrative and that various changes inthe form, proportion and the minor details of construction may beresorted to without departing from the principle or sacrificing any ofthe advantages of the invention as defined in the appended claim. 7

What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

In a device of the character described,the

combination, with a casing consisting of two cup-shaped members adaptedto be screwed together, a shaft rotatably mounted in the casing having adrum portion and provided with shoulders for holding said shaft in saidcasing, a coil sprin having one end thereof attached to the casing andthe other end to thesha'ft to revolve the said shaft in one direction, aratchet-wheel mounted on the shaft to turn therewith, a spring actuatedpawl pivotally attached to the casing in the path of the ratchet-wheel,a sleeve socket attachment secured to the casing, a contact plug rigidlymounted in one end of the shaft adapted to rotate with the said shaft inthe said sleeve socket attachment, a quantity of lamp cord wound uponthe drum portion of the said shaft having one end passing through anaperture in the casing and provided with lamp connections and the otherend passing through an aperture in the drum portion of the shaft andconnected to the said sleeve socket attachment and to the rotatablecontact plug, and a plate placed intermediate the two cup-shapedmembers, substantially as described and for the purpose set forth.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature in the presence of twowitnesses.

PETER HENDERSON.

Witnesses:

R. CLEMENT WEBER, JENNIE Jonas.

